Social Worker MSW

Job Details

Job Description

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Collaborates with all members of the healthcare team, patient and/or family to develop and implement a patient centered plan of care.
• Interacts with co-workers, visitors, and other staff consistent with Jefferson's mission, vision, and values.
• Advocates for evidence-based and effective care of substance use disorders, psychiatric disorders, and comorbid medical conditions.
• Performs and documents a comprehensive psychosocial assessment for each identified patient, including a mental status examination and diagnostic summary for patients who present with substance use disorder and/or behavioral health issues.
• Obtains, interprets, communicates, and documents necessary information regarding patients and families, including social history information to the JAMS & healthcare team.
• Provides counseling and psychoeducation to patient/family as appropriate. Practice demonstrates understanding in the following elements of the counseling process:
  • Liaising effectively between patients/families and involved teams including JAMS, primary healthcare teams, and Peer Specialists (CRS).
  • Providing short-term individual therapy to patients as clinically indicated
  • Facilitating telemedicine group therapy to select patient groups as clinically indicated and when consented to by patients
  • Providing trauma-informed care
• Contributes to development and implementation of behavioral plans/safety plans for hospitalized patients with SUD.
• Collaborates with the care team(s) to facilitate the discharge plan as it relates to the patient's level of care.
  • Performs or contributes to standardized level of care assessment to establish consensus regarding post-acute plan with patient and care team.
  • Collaborates with CRS and others to develop relapse prevention plans at discharge, whether planned or unplanned ("AMA")
  • Arranges intake into outpatient MOUD programs and assists with warm handoff
  • Facilitates connection to appropriate outpatient resources including Intensive Outpatient Care, Partial Hospitalization, Case Management Services, Outpatient psychiatric/psychotherapeutic/co-occurring services as clinically indicated
  • Assists medical/surgical social workers in liaising with complex inpatient psychiatric/co-occurring/substance use treatment placements as required

OTHER FUNCTIONS AND COMPETENCIES needed in addition to Essential Functions:

• Handles suspected child abuse/elder abuse/domestic violence and refers to regulatory/community agencies.
• Maintains current information on community agencies, facilities and entitlement programs relevant to needs of diverse patient populations.
• Meets all requirements for continuing education in field of specialty and all department-based competencies.
• Responds in a timely manner to consult requests and proactively identifies patients at risk for psychosocial disposition issues.
• Utilizes crisis intervention, counseling, education, advocacy, and referral skills to implement the plan.
• Obtains county authorization for involuntary commitment of psychiatric patients when necessary.
• Provides direct services for guardianship, power of attorney, health care surrogate, and advanced directives
• Establishes a working relationship that conveys concern, respect and hopefulness. Demonstrates sensitivity and respect toward patient/family. Provides emotional support to patient/family. Manages initial ambivalence and resistance. Explores and assesses coping methods and resources. Facilitates the agreement of goals. Provides information and opportunities for choice and decision-making.
• Attends and actively participates in monthly staff meetings.
• Attends mandatory in-services on an annual basis.
• Completes department statistics as required.
• Participates in Process/Performance Improvement, in order to meet the needs of JAMS patients.
• Arranges appropriate, alternative services for patient when hospitalization is not indicated and collaborates with other public and private providers to insure continuity of care for the patient.
• Offers assistance to families of patients who expire while on the JAMS Service.

Unit/Department/Population Specific

• Ability of work effectively and calmly in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to access suicidal/homicidal potential in a patient and recommend and make referrals to appropriate level of care.
• Ability to demonstrate excellent behavioral assessment and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to utilize and model effective de-escalation strategies for acutely distressed patients.
• Knowledge of Federal and State regulation relevant to MOUD/substance use treatment programs
• Knowledge of Federal and State statues regarding patient privacy and the confidentiality of patient information.
• Knowledge of and experience with PA Mental Health Law and procedures regarding voluntary and involuntary inpatient treatment.
• Knowledge of key medical diagnoses which are frequently comorbid with psychiatric and substance use disorder diagnoses.
• Knowledge of signs/symptoms of abuse/neglect and state reporting requirements and procedures.
• Understanding of medical and psychiatric nomenclature.
• Skills & Abilities (Application or performance of acquired knowledge): Able to comfortably and competently assess and intervene with patients across the life cycle.

Work Shift

Worker Sub Type

Primary Location Address

Nationally ranked, Jefferson, which is principally located in the greater Philadelphia region, Lehigh Valley and Northeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey, is reimagining health care and higher education to create unparalleled value. Jefferson is more than 65,000 people strong, dedicated to providing the highest-quality, compassionate clinical care for patients; making our communities healthier and stronger; preparing tomorrow's professional leaders for 21st-century careers; and creating new knowledge through basic/programmatic, clinical and applied research. Thomas Jefferson University, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson College of Nursing, and the Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce, dates back to 1824 and today comprises 10 colleges and three schools offering 200+ undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 8,300 students. Jefferson Health, nationally ranked as one of the top 15 not-for-profit health care systems in the country and the largest provider in the Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas, serves patients through millions of encounters each year at 32 hospitals campuses and more than 700 outpatient and urgent care locations throughout the region. Jefferson Health Plans is a not-for-profit managed health care organization providing a broad range of health coverage options in Pennsylvania and New Jersey for more than 35 years.

Jefferson is committed to providing equal educational and employment opportunities for all persons without regard to age, race, color, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, military status, veteran status, handicap or disability or any other protected group or status.